Rise of the Sith: Episode I
by Death2Puppets
Summary: Darth Maul takes Anakin Skywalker prisoner and the whole universe shifts. R
1. I

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. But ya'll already knew that.

I

Qui-Gon Jinn and Anakin Skywalker raced across the desert sands toward the Queen's ship. The wind howled in their ears; Anakin strongly suspected a storm was brewing.

"Anakin! Drop!" He hit the ground just a speeder bike shot over his head. A black shadow dived from the bike, a blood-red blade clutched in his hand.

Qui-Gon's green blade met the attacker's; their lightsabers crackled with impact after impact. The shadow moved with impossible speed—Qui-Gon had to devote all his energy to defense.

The shadow lost its cloak; Anakin saw the face under it. He was Zabrak, tattooed red and black, a crown of horns circling his bald head. His yellow eyes glowed with a fierce rage as he guided his blade in closer and closer swipes at the Jedi Master's head.

"Anakin! Run to the ship—tell them to take off! Run!" Qui-Gon shouted, his voice strained with fatigue.

Anakin fled.

The shadow continued his furious assault. Qui-Gon tried his best to keep up, but the shadow's rage kept him exempt from the fatigue he was feeling.

The sleek ship appeared overhead, it hatch open and waiting. Qui-Gon glanced at it, only for a split second—

The Zabrak slid his lightsaber cleanly through Qui-Gon's torso. The Jedi Master fell in two halves to the scorching sand. A sigh escaped from his aged lips.

The shadow leaped up into the ship. Obi-Wan Kenobi rushed at him with a cry of anger and sorrow, his own blue blade extended. He sidestepped, brought his fist to the Padawan's face. Obi-Wan lost his balance and stumbled back. The shadow spun and impaled the Jedi on a blade of crimson. He crumpled.

The Zabrak moved forward, expecting another ambush. The Naboo captain, Panaka, and couple of soldiers stepped from either side of the hall. A final stand to protect their Queen.

They failed miserably.

The Zabrak deflected all their shots, angling them back at the shooters.

He stepped over their bodies into the Queen's quarters. There she sat, blaster in one hand. "I will die before I sign the treaty," she growled. She fired twice at the shadow, shots he easily blocked, then brought the blaster to her temple.

The shot resounded in the small room.

He deactivated his lightsaber. Without the hum of the blade, he heard a faint sound of crying coming from elsewhere on the ship. He followed the noise to the lounge, where he found the Queen's handmaidens clustered around the boy he had seen outside, tears staining his cheeks.

He reignited his blade.

A whisper of the Force; he turned to meet the pilot, blaster rifle ready. The pilot fired. Once. At the same time, three of the handmaidens fired blasters they had kept hidden. He couldn't block them all—one struck him in the shoulder, merely a bee sting. But it was enough to enrage him.

He jerked the blasters away with the Force. One he took himself. He fired at the three handmaidens, each square in the forehead.

The last handmaiden, the one that had not fired, wore dusty desert clothes. This one was especially beautiful…a shot to the face wouldn't do.

The shadow reached with the Force; she began to choke. She gasped and sputtered, flailed around a bit.

"NO!" the boy screamed. The hull screeched as it bent and twisted; chairs tore from the floor and shot into the walls; the dense metal of the floor dented and gave as a bubble of pure Force energy emanated from the boy. Anakin, faster than even the Zabrak could see, grabbed a blaster and fired.

The shadow dropped the girl to deflect the shot. The bolt flew back and struck the boy on the back of his right hand. The bolt burned all the way through his small hand. He dropped the blaster and fell to his knees, fresh tears welling.

The Force spoke to the Zabrak. It told him to spare the boy, that he would be very useful in the future. Another whisper; the one outside was a decoy. This handmaiden was the real queen. He had a use for the girl now, as well. He lifted them with the Force and carried them out of the ship.

He looked up at the ship and reached with the Force. There was another on the ship…a Gungan. The Zabrak waved his hand. The ship burst into flame and crashed to the ground. He looked at his prisoners.

This was a successful day.

This was Darth Maul's day of victory.

* * *

The _Infiltrator_ slid silently and unnoticed into the hangar on Coruscant. The hatch slid open and Lord Maul stepped out. Behind him, shackled in durasteel cuffs, came Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala.

He led them into the elevator that went up to his apartment at 499 Republica. Neither of the prisoners tried to resist.

"Padme," Anakin whispered as the elevator took them upward.

He was answered with the hardest blow he had ever taken in his life, the hilt of a Sith lightsaber in the back of his head.

"Silence, boy," Lord Maul growled threateningly.

The door opened to reveal a huge apartment, bare except for a cushion in the center and the many weapons on the walls—Gammorean axes, force-pikes, primitive swords. Anakin wiped the tears from his eyes to view them up close.

He and Padme were suddenly jerked across the room into a wall. Restraining belts sprung from the walls and tied them down. Maul gestured again; two of the ancient swords lifted from their racks and went to hover in front of the captives' necks.

Maul turned and left through a door. Anakin tried to see what was beyond the door but it was too dark inside.

"Padme," he tried again. Blood ran down his neck from the previous try.

"It's okay, Anakin…all he wants is for me to sign the treaty. He has nothing against you," the Queen replied.

"I'm not afraid, Padme. We're on Coruscant, right? The Jedi will save us," he said with such conviction Padme wanted to believe him.

"I hope so, Annie."

* * *

Maul kneeled before a hologram of his master, Lord Sidious.

"I have located the Queen of Naboo, my master."

"Good, Lord Maul," the Sith Lord said. "But I sense another."

"There is no other, my lord," Darth Maul had never before lied to his master.

"Very well. Are you prepared to crack the girl's mind?"

"Yes, my master."

"You have done well, Lord Maul."

"Thank you, Master."

"Do it tonight."

Maul cracked a rare smile. "Yes, my master."


	2. II

II

The door slid open again, and Darth Maul emerged from the dark room beyond. Maul walked slowly and deliberately toward Anakin and Padme. His cloak was gone; he wore only his plain black tunic. The shadows created by the bright lights hid his eyes.

He took the Queen's chin in his hand, kept it still. He brought his finger to her forehead. The tip glowed a stark blue.

Padme's mouth hung open, as if wanting to scream. Her body twitched and convulsed; a thin curl of smoke floated up from her head. Her eyes glazed over and a line of blood trickled from ear.

All this in complete silence.

Anakin had never been angrier than he was now. His right hand a burned, mangled glove; his future master dead; the handmaiden he loved silently tortured next to him, hanging on the wall of a Sith Lord's home.

Anakin lost all control.

The straps keeping him restrained burst open. Anakin hurtled across the room and landed on his feet; he took a sword from the wall and faced Maul.

The Sith Lord laughed.

He too took a sword from the wall. Maul beckoned Anakin on.

To his surprise, Anakin came. He rushed him, swinging his sword in wide arcs. Maul dodged all of Anakin's attacks, but found he couldn't hit the boy either. There was something about him…The Force lived in him as it would in a Sith Master, but the boy obviously had no training.

Maul enjoyed the sparring for a moment longer, then Force pushed the boy against the opposite wall. Anakin slumped over, unconscious.

Lord Maul was impressed with this boy. But for now he turned back to Padme. She still had control of her mind…but only barely.

* * *

Anakin woke up dazed and aching. The last thing he remembered was seeing the Zabrak do something to—

Padme.

Anakin looked about wildly, searching for her. Then he saw her.

She sat on the bare floor, drinking something from a small cup. She looked distant, confused. But, worst of all, she looked completely happy sitting next to a Sith Lord in deep meditation.

His eyes snapped open just as Anakin gingerly rose from the floor. "What have you done to Padme?" he demanded.

Maul merely glared.

"Come sit with us, Annie! This is Corellian tea. The best in the galaxy," Padme said cheerfully.

Anakin was again caught off guard. "Padme! He is a Sith Lord! Haven't you heard the legends?"

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Annie. Come," she beckoned again.

Anakin realized something was horribly wrong.

* * *

Viceroy Nute Gunray hesitated before accepting the message from Darth Sidious. The Neimodian leader was deathly afraid of his boss, as anyone in their right mind would be. Sidious was already unhappy with him for the disappearance of the Queen.

But Sidious expected Gunray to always answer, and he didn't want to disappoint.

"Lord Sidious," Gunray said with a slight bow.

"Lord Maul has located the Queen. She will be returned in a few days ready to sign the treaty."

"With all due respect, my lord, she seemed rather…opposed to signing the treaty."

"It is no longer a problem. Be ready, Viceroy."

"Yes, Lord Sidious."

The hologram faded; the Viceroy exhaled. He had escaped from another conversation unscathed.

Rune Haako stood beside him, also breathing a sight of relief. "Why would she want to sign it now?" he asked.

"It is probably best we don't know," Gunray replied. He had never been more decided on anything in his life.

* * *

Anakin's wildest dreams had never reached the plateau that he stood on now. Padme, his angel, sits before him sipping Corellian tea on bare white floor, surrounded on all sides by the weapons of a Sith. The Sith himself sits with them, now with a flask of his own, filled with something much stronger than tea.

The Sith's evil eyes looked him over. Anakin could almost see the wheels churning his head, plans for him and Padme.

Padme poured him some tea and handed it to him. He took a long drought; it was good. Anakin made his move.

"Who are you?"

Darth Maul eyed the boy with curiosity. The boy was certainly brave. He decided to at last speak to the boy.

"My name is Lord Maul, boy. As you seem to have guessed, I am a Sith," he said quietly; the words still seemed to resonate in the room.

"What do you want with us?"

The boy was either extremely brave or he didn't know when to quit. "The Queen I will return to Naboo. I have another use for you," the Sith replied in the same deep, piercing voice.

Anakin's head spun. "You're the Queen?" he asked her.

Padme nodded. "Yes, Annie. I needed a decoy for protection from the Jedi."

Now Anakin was completely lost. Protection from the Jedi? The Jedi had rescued her from the Trade Federation. Hadn't they?

"The Jedi save people, Padme. They tried to save you from him!" Anakin said, almost in reassurance to himself.

One step too far. Maul Force-pushed Anakin into the wall where he had woken up. He sprang back up.

"See, Padme? A friend wouldn't do that!" he screamed.

"Well, Anakin, you offended him. He goes to all that trouble to save us, and you call him an enemy!" Padme said in that unfamiliar stern tone.

"Save us? He killed Qui-Gon! Jar-Jar and R2 were on the ship, too! And that other Jedi, and your bodyguards! Don't you remember what happened?"

"Anakin. The Jedi kidnapped me from Naboo. Of course, they didn't know I was the real Queen. That's why they let me go to Mos Espa with Qui-Gon. I wanted to run, but then we found you. I didn't want him to kill you, Annie," Padme said, as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Anakin still couldn't accept it. "Qui-Gon was going to bring me here…I was to become a Jedi! I will be a Jedi!" The Force flared around him again. Anger fueling his power.

"They were Dark Jedi, Annie. They were evil, deceptive."

Anakin shot a glance at Darth Maul. "Then what is he?"

"He is a Sith, Anakin. But Dark Jedi are different from Sith. Dark Jedi have lost control of the Force—and their minds. They are completely evil. But Sith…Sith merely have a different approach to the Force than the Jedi do. The Sith use their passion to reach their full potential."

"They use the dark side of the Force!"

"The Sith tap into the dark side from time to time, but never when it can be avoided."

Fresh tears rolled down Anakin's face as his hand began to throb again. "How do you know all of this?"

"I have learned much while you slept, Annie. Now come, have more tea. We will do something about your hand tomorrow."

Anakin hesitated, but only for a second. He went back and sat with his angel.

Maul cracked another smile.

His puppet danced even better than he had imagined.


	3. III

III

Anakin awoke. Daylight streamed into the apartment. The weapons on the wall caught the sun and played it onto the floor in a kaleidoscope of light.

He sat up, looked around. He gazed at his mangled hand. Last night Padme had cleaned and dressed it, but it still burned. He heard stories about injuries like this—they either cut it off, or made you a new one.

Anakin noticed Padme standing in a far corner, fingering an axe. Anakin rose and went over to her.

"Good morning, Anakin," she said.

"Hi."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Well…" Anakin's back ached.

"Lord Maul will bring us cots when he returns," she said, all but emotionless.

"Returns? You mean he's gone?"

"He left earlier—"

"Let's go, Padme! We can escape to the Jedi Temple!"

"Anakin! Why do you show such disrespect to Lord Maul? He saved us from those rogue Jedi and gave us a place to stay. The reason he left was to get a doctor for your hand!"

"The Sith blasted my hand to begin with!"

"Lord Maul miscalculated the angle of the blaster bolt."

A shot of pain sprang through Anakin's hand as he recalled how he got the wound to begin with.

He was tired of arguing; he needed time to think. He went to the single window in the room and looked out. Coruscant teemed with life outside the thick glass. Anakin had listened to the starpilots on Tatooine talk of Coruscant—the home of the Republic, an endless city that covered an entire planet and stretched to the stars.

In the distance, Anakin saw a huge building, closer to the ground than the skyscrapers around it. It was pyramid-shaped, a hive of stacked boxes adorned with an enormous obelisk at every corner.

Anakin's instincts spoke to him. This was the Jedi Temple.

The front door slid open silently.

* * *

"Lost contact with Qui-Gon we have," Master Yoda informed the Jedi Council.

Master Mace Windu sighed. "Then we must send someone else. They can't force her to sign the treaty."

"Agree with you I do, Master Windu. But who to send?"

The Council erupted with suggestions and recommendations for the mission. Yoda listened to all of them and decided on one.

"Ki-Adi-Mundi, would you accept this mission?"

The old Cerean smiled. "Yes, my friend."

"All in favor?"

The vote was unanimous.

* * *

The doctor took Anakin's hand in his and unwrapped the bangages. He shot a sharp glance at the Sith; the Sith glared right back at him.

"What's your name, son?" the doctor asked kindly.

"I'm Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."

"Skywalker! The boy who won the Boonta Eve race?" he asked, suddenly excited. "A junk dealer named Watto convinced me to bet on you. I won a fortune!"

Anakin blushed. He had almost completely forgotten about the race.

"Tell you what, Anakin. I will build you a mechanical hand at no charge," the old doctor said. He got out a measure and gauged the distance around his wrist.

"A robot hand? Awesome," Anakin exclaimed, truly excited.

"It will be awesome, son, but there is a complicated operation to attach it."

"I don't mind," Anakin replied instantly.

"Very well, then." The doctor stood. With a curt nod to Lord Maul and a slight bow to Padme, he turned to leave.

"I'll be back in a few days, Anakin. Keep the wound clean and dressed."

And with that he was gone.

* * *

Maul left his prisoners later in the afternoon. It was time for an audience with Sidious.

Lord Maul took an air taxi to the residence of Coruscant's elite, 500 Republica. The Sith took the access stairs; he didn't need to call attention to his master.

The secret entrance to the home and office of Sidious slid open. The man himself sat at the desk, face covered by a black hood nearly identical to the one Maul wore. Darth Sidious beckoned him over.

Maul kneeled before the desk. "My master."

"Is the girl ready?"

"Yes."

"Good, good. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, my master. I have found a boy."

"A boy, Lord Maul?"

"He was in the company of the Queen, my lord. The Force is strong with him."

"You hid his presence from me, Lord Maul."

"I apologize, Master. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Very well. Take care that is does not happen again."

"Yes, my master."

"What do you want with this boy?"

"He is strong enough to be a powerful ally," Maul said carefully.

"There can only be two Sith at a time, Maul. You know this. Kill him."

"I wish to train him, Master," he pressed.

"The answer is no, Maul.," Sidious growled, anger welling at his apprentice's insolence.

A flash of crimson. The head of Darth Sidious tumbled forward off the shoulders.

"I will make the decisions now, my lord."

* * *

Anakin was bored. It had been hours since the doctor had left, and there was nothing in the apartment to do.

Padme slept on the hard floor. She hadn't done much besides sleep since he woke up. He realized she had never considered borrowing the cushion in the center of the room.

He started looking at the swords above him. He lifted one of its rack, tested its weight. He felt a strong feeling of déjà vu handling the sword—but the feeling soon passed.

Maul appeared behind him. "This is one of my favorites," he said. He took the sword from Anakin's hands, gazed at it. "It's Rodian. Few remember how to make real swords—everyone carries a blaster now. Except for those above the herd. Those who use the Force."

Anakin watched him examine the sword, explain its history. He didn't seem so bad now; maybe everything he had heard really was a lie.

"Teach me how to use it," he said.

Maul showed a slight smile. "Very well. But we'll start with something smaller."

He set the Rodian blade back on the rack and lifted a duller, but still outstanding sword. He gave it to Anakin. He selected a nearly identical blade off another rack.

Maul got into stance. "Do this…no, angle the blade higher…move your right foot up some…there," he instructed. "This is your default stance; you shouldn't need to deviate from it often. Go."

Anakin came forward, swung downward. Maul parried and pushed Anakin's blade away; he spun in for a stab to the chest—

Anakin dodged and rolled to the side. He blocked a slash, rushed his teacher. Maul swung, Anakin went under it—

The Sith Master found himself with a blade at his neck.

"Impressive," he said, stepping back from the boy's blade. "You've never done this before?"

"Never."

Most impressive.

* * *

Ki-Adi-Mundi docked his Jedi starfighter to the long-distance carrier. He entered the coordinates into the navicomputer. His astromech chirped.

"That's right, B3," he said. "Naboo."


	4. IV

IV

Washes of red and purple splashed across the darkening sky as Maul's ship cruised downward toward Theed. Anakin looked out the _Infiltrator_'s cockpit glass, taking in the sight of sunset on one of the galaxy's most beautiful planets.

Anakin looked at his right hand for the hundredth time in the past hour. The new hand was perfect in every way; durasteel fingers and joints connected to his nerves and trained to obey his every move. The hand was calibrated to the approximate strength of his other hand—but with Anakin's skills changing that would be child's play should the need arise.

He put the custom glove back over the hand. There would time to examinehis trophyagain later.

* * *

"Lord Maul! Welcome to Naboo, my lord," Nute Gunray said fearfully, leading the way to private chambers made for the Sith. "I was expecting Lord Sidious."

"Darth Sidious won't be in contact any more, Viceroy," Maul said. Gunray thought he heard an undertone of amusement.

"My lord?"

"Sidious lost his head, Viceroy. I guarantee I have the situation well in hand."

The Viceroy backed up a few steps. All of a sudden the lightsaber on Maul's belt was all too prominent.

"Viceroy?"

"Yes, Lord Maul?"

"The boy that arrived in my ship. Make sure he taken care of. Taken very good care of."

"Yes, Lord Maul. He will be given the Governor's Suite."

"Good, Viceroy. Entertain him."

"Entertain him? But—

Maul pointedly stared at him.

Gunray shut up.

* * *

Anakin sat aboard the ship, waiting for Padme or Lord Maul to return. At last, the Sith came aboard, a protocol droid in tow. The droid came over to him.

"I am TC-14," it said in a distinctly female voice. "I am to show you to your room."

"My room?" he asked.

"Yes, Master Skywalker. Lord Maul has arranged private quarters for you inside the palace."

The palace--Padme!

"Let's go then, 14!"

The droid led him through the courtyard and the ornate palace entrance. Anakin and TC-14 arrived at the door to Sio Bibble's quarters.

But Governor Bibble wouldn't be sleeping there tonight.

"Wow."

Comfortable furniture covered every inch of the floor, a complete shift from Maul's bare home. In the bedroom, the bed covered half the floor. The rest was filled with a huge holo-chess board.

"14?"

"Yes?"

"You play chess?"

* * *

An hour and a half later, the game still continued. Anakin's instincts seemed to hold up to TC-14's lightning-fast computations. TC-14 was baffled. Who was this boy that could challenge a droid at a game of intellect?

Anakin moved his only knight to the center of the board, taking TC-14's only bishop. TC-14 countered by taking the knight with her queen. Anakin grinned.

Anakin moved his queen to capture the droid's.

"Checkmate."

TC-14 examined the board. The boy had beaten her.

"Where did you come from, Master Skywalker?"

"I'm from Tatooine."

"Tell me about this place."

* * *

Lord Maul sat in deep meditation on board his ship. He felt a disturbance in the Force…a danger wan near.

Tonight he had to be on his guard.

* * *

Padme, now in full ornamental costume, appeared before the governmental body of Naboo accompanied by Nute Gunray and a mysterious Zabrak clothed in black. Governor Sio Bibble was worried; he could only imagine the stunt she had planned. He hoped it didn't get them all killed.

And why was he sleeping in the guest wing?

The Queen approached the table where Rune Haako, Gunray's second-in-command, already sat. They shook hands, a genuine smile on the Queen's face.

What was happening?

"I, Queen Amidala of Naboo, add my signature to this treaty in hopes of peace between the people of Naboo and the Trade Federation. Under the terms of the treaty, the Federation and any of its allies may travel to and trade from Naboo freely. Also stipulated in the document, from this day forth, Naboo is a colony world of the Trade Federation," the Queen said, to the shock of the Naboo Senate.

The Queen signed the treaty. Gunray and Haako added their signatures as well, under the cold stare of Lord Maul.

"I have a few words to say about the past couple of weeks," the Queen announced.

Thank goodness. The Queen hadn't completely lost her mind.

"As you know, I have been missing for a week or so. I will now share with you what happened."

Panicked glances between the Neimodians.

"Soon after the Federation's arrival in Naboo space, I was abducted by two rogue Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Stunned gasps and whispers from the audience. Rogue Jedi? Abducted?

"I know that this comes as a shock. We have come to respect the Jedi as our heroes and saviors. I have seen first hand that we are gravely mistaken."

She paused to let it sink in.

"But I escaped and returned home with the help of an old friend, Lord Maul."

All attention focused on the Zabrak. "Lord Maul taught himself the ways of the Force, in essence becoming a stronger and better hero than any Jedi. I owe my life to him."

A sudden burst of applause.

"The Jedi have spread legends of the Sith for millennia. But now that the Jedi are revealed as the villains, what of their stories? My hero, Lord Maul before you, is a follower of the Sith religion. And yet he is the one that saved me from the Jedi. Do you see the irony?"

"That is enough!" came a shout from one of the balconies above. Ki-Adi-Mundi leaped from his seat and landed in between the aisles of senators below. A blade of azure sprang from his hand.

"I cannot allow this speech to continue!" he said, his ancient face bordering on anger.

Maul saw his chance. He threw off his cloak and ignited his own red blade. "You will not harm my queen!" he roared. He held his weapon up—and ignited the other side.

Darth Maul, Master of the Sith, beckoned the Jedi Master to come and meet his double blade.

The senators jumped from their seats and ran to the opposite ends of the chamber, wanting to watch but not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. Ki-Adi-Mundi sized up his opponent, and decided a fight would end in victory.

The Cerean Master rushed.

Darth Maul met him in the center, launching a flurry of his own attacks. The Cerean held his own, wearing the Sith down and then launching an attack of his own.

Maul Force-pushed his opponent. Ki-Adi-Mundi slid across the floor and cracked his head on the chamber doors. He was up by the time Maul got there. He let loose with a barrage of quick strikes aimed at Maul's chest.

The Sith countered all of them with ease.

Maul grabbed the Cerean by the collar of his robes and slammed him to the ground. Maul got on top of him, blade hovering centimeters from the Jedi's neck. Ki-Adi-Mundi didn't dare move.

But somehow, he found his saber arm pulled upwards. The saber, not quite under his control, snapped around and cut the Sith from shoulder to shoulder. Darth Maul flew backwards off the Jedi and landed on his face a few yards away.

Ki-Adi-Mundi stood. The Sith must have been controlling his arm with the Force…But why would he—

Maul launched into a roll faster than the eye could see, blade extended. The crimson saber slid cleanly through the Jedi's knees—

Before the Cerean even wobbled, Darth Maul, crouching, brought his lightsaber to the Jedi's crotch—

He brought it up, up, all the way up through the top of Ki-Adi-Mundi's conical head. The four pieces of the Cerean Jedi Master fell to the floor as Lord Maul stood. Lord Maul almost immediately fell to his knees again, apparently in great pain.

The senators watched as Sith Lord Maul, the Queen's protector, stood again, smoke still rising from the saber cut on his chest.

Maul turned off his lightsaber.

The room was silent.

Until the senators began to clap.

Maul retrieved his cloak and pulled it back on. He took his place at the Queen's side.

"Do you see now? The Jedi have become so bold in their treachery that they would attack me in my own palace! Do you see now what Lord Maul saved me from?" she screamed at the crowd of senators.

The senators erupted in the loudest round of applause so far.

Maul, hidden beneath his hood, laughed.

In another life, he could have been an excellent actor.


	5. V

V

"Dark times these are, my friend," Yoda mused. He floated along in his hoverchair, Master Windu keeping the pace beside him. "Falters, trust in the Jedi does."

"Yes," Windu said, distracted.

"Where do your thoughts wander, Master Windu?"

"I have come to a decision I never thought I'd have to make. Until we get to the bottom of this, we should confirm the rogue Jedi story to the press."

"Add our late friend Ki-Adi-Mundi to this tale, you would?" Yoda asked disapprovingly.

"We would have to," Windu said gravely. "Saying Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were working of their own accord, to 'abduct' the Queen, and that Ki-Adi-Mundi tried to take her a second time, would take the heat off our backs long enough to investigate."

"So our dead brothers, dishonor you would?"

"You can't see it that way, Yoda."

"Treachery is the way of the Sith, Mace."

"Treachery is not what we're doing! I don't want to do this, either! But Yoda, imagine, what would happen if the galaxy no longer trusted us? Our beliefs would become heresy, and fear would fester."

"Fear," Yoda said simply.

"Fear leads to anger—

"Anger leads to hate—

"And hate leads to the dark side," Windu finished.

"Very well," Yoda said, giving in. "Go speak to the Chancellor. Inform the Council, I will."

The two Jedi Masters, the two best, went off on their errands of deception.

* * *

"You're holding back, Anakin!"

Anakin swooped in for another quick jab. "But your cut…"

"In a real battle, would you go easier on an injured opponent?" Maul growled.

"No, but…"

"Of course not! In fact," Maul landed a roundhouse kick to Anakin's face. Anakin soared through the air and landed on one of Sio Bibble's luxurious couches.

"A cornered opponent is more dangerous than a fresh and energized one."

Anakin wiped the blood from his brow. Every day their sparring had gotten a little rougher; Anakin had all manner of cuts and bruises. But he didn't mind—Lord Maul said that pain was a sign of progress.

They fought now in Governor Bibble's quarters, the furniture pushed to the walls of the spacious living room.

Anakin rose from the couch, wiped the blood on his shirt. He couldn't afford to yield any of his grip on the blade.

He rushed the Sith, swinging wildly. Maul prepared himself for a powerful but sloppy hail of strikes. Anakin had expected this.

He straightened his stance, spun, bringing the blade down in a slow but nearly unstoppable attack.

Maul blocked it, but only barely. The sheer strength of the blow took his balance for a split second—

Which was all that Anakin needed. He brought his foot to Maul's knee, then swooped it under his feet. The Sith Lord toppled.

He once again found himself with a nine-year-old boy holding a blade to his neck.

It was an interesting feeling to be proud of someone else.

* * *

Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum welcomed Master Windu into his spacious office in the penthouse of 500 Republica. He offered him a drink, Corellian brandy, but the Jedi Master, not to the Chancellor's surprise, declined. Still, etiquette must be observed.

"So," Valorum began, "what brings you here, Master Windu?"

"Queen Amidala's allegations, Finis," he replied.

"Ah…the fallen Jedi claim…Well, you know it isn't true, I sent them myself."

"We're going to confirm it."

"What? Confirm it?" Valorum was dumbfounded.

"We need time to investigate, Finis. Telling them what they want to hear will keep them from pressing much further."

"What do you need from me?" Valorum asked, hesitantly.

"I want to speak in front of the Senate, with a few HoloNet cameras in attendance. A press conference, if you will."

"Why before the Senate?"

"They need to be assured that they can still trust the Jedi," Windu said sadly.

"I suppose Ki-Adi-Mundi went rogue before his death, then."

"That's the story."

Valorum sighed. "Alright, Mace. I'll call a special session of the Senate. You'll have five minutes."

"Thank you, Chancellor." Windu got up to leave.

"Oh, and Mace?" Valorum called after him.

Windu turned.

"I knew Ki-Adi-Mundi. Don't drag his name too far into the mud. He didn't deserve that."

"I know that all too well, Finis. All too well."

* * *

The Senate Arena buzzed with the conversations of thousands of senators from every corner of the Republic. Chancellor Valorum stepped up to his podium. The chamber abruptly silenced.

"Esteemed members of the Galactic Senate, I have called this special session of Congress today because a shocking occurrence has happened that happens only once every dozen generations—Jedi have fallen.

"Queen Amidala of Naboo claims she was abducted by two Dark Jedi and later attacked by a third. Mace Windu, head of the Jedi Council, is here today to speak on the matter. Master Windu," Valorum hurriedly sat down as Windu stepped up to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate. I can assure you that these Jedi were operating completely free from the influence of the Jedi Council. These three Jedi attacked the Queen of Naboo completely for their own reasons, though these reasons remain unclear.

The three Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Ki-Adi-Mundi, had indeed left the Jedi Order in pursuit of something more. The last to do this was Dooku, who now holds the title of Count of Serenno. Dooku, however, lives his life peacefully on his family's estate.

It is unclear, as I've said, as to why this has happened. But I swear that myself and the rest of the Council will get to the bottom of the shocking attack on the Republic."

He meant that, too. "Thank you."

Windu stepped down from the podium.

* * *

--HoloNet Newscast, Transcript--

Jedi Master Mace Windu confirmed this afternoon allegations of three Dark Jedi attacking the Queen of the Sovereign World of Naboo. Naboo recently signed a treaty with the Trade Federation to become an official colony world for the technological giant. The second attempt on the Queen's life came during the speech following the signing of the treaty.

In related news, Galactic Senator Palpatine, also of Naboo, is still missing. Palpatine vanished from his office several days ago.

Now, for the weather with Oni Mar…


End file.
